


Soul Lights

by LutaHatathli



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, HQ Rarepair Bang 2020, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:27:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23635312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LutaHatathli/pseuds/LutaHatathli
Summary: "He just wasn’t like the other gods, he didn’t care about power. He didn’t particularly care about love either, but out of the two the latter would be the one he would prefer to have if he ever decided to bind his essence to another."
Relationships: Futakuchi Kenji/Kozume Kenma, Sugawara Koushi/Tendou Satori
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4
Collections: HQ Rarepair Bang 2020





	Soul Lights

**Author's Note:**

> HQ Rarepair Bang 2020 Art Partner:   
> https://twitter.com/AnakitoArt/status/1249795967911710720  
> @AnakitoArt  
> https://anakitoart.tumblr.com/post/615315079659913216/platonic-sugawarakenma-my-second-piece-for

Prelude:  
Life is simple. 

People wake up every day, eat every day, and go about their individual business every single day. There will never be a moment that human beings all over the world aren’t doing something. It was a fact of life, and for immortals it was still the same. Wake up, eat, perform duties. For gods this wasn’t different in the least. 

While all the gods in the Divine Realms scurry around like good little worker ants, keeping mortals happy. Like the kind of happy a snake gets when someone feeds it a plump little white lab mouse. They do this because doing so enhances one’s own divine essence, so doing their jobs, their purposes, is basically like what food and water is to mortals. They need it to survive.

This is the case in most instances, however, there is one god that seems to neglect his duties. Kenma, just one of many Gods of Fortune, his purpose is to not only grant small miracles of fortune to mortals at the absolute least, but also to maintain balance in the wealth of power in the Divine Realms; which is their main task as Gods of fortune. 

Normally a god of fortune is assigned to a household or chooses one on their own to watch over. This is where things get tricky for Kenma because he has never chosen a household to watch over, nor has he ever shown an inkling of interest in his divine duties. 

To have a god of fortune under the same roof is always an honor to the other party, however Kenma is maybe a rare breed since he is the only god of fortune not to jump at the chance to move forward into the strongest household he could. Mainly because this would mean marrying into said house in most cases. He just wasn’t like the other gods, he didn’t care about power. He didn’t particularly care about love either, but out of the two the latter would be the one he would prefer to have if he ever decided to bind his essence to another. 

~  
Chapter 1. A God of Fortune.  
The elder god paced the tatami mat floor in his son’s chambers. They were both gods of fortune, but sometimes he really wondered if maybe his son was actually a god of misfortune. “Son- Kenma, turn that thing off and listen when I speak to you.” He wanted to break his son’s game console, one of the many useless contraptions Kenma had brought back from the mortal realm. He had learned long ago that his lazy son only actually performed his duties when he wanted something new from that realm. It was always these games and toys, none of it had any real purpose other than just making a lot of noise and wasting time. Not that gods had to worry about time. 

“I’m listening.” Kenma said as if he were in a trance. He sat upon what he said the mortals called a Beanbag Chair, while staring blankly up as the game he was playing. 

His father really couldn’t understand why Kenma loves such things. There were far scarier monsters in the Divine realm that Kenma could exterminate if all he wished to do was kill things like in these games. Seeing his only son like this was so unbecoming that he could barely look at Kenma. He, of all the gods, knew his son was more than meets the eye, he knew Kenma was more powerful than anyone in their blood line for the simple fact that he didn’t seem to require worshippers. He never even looked weak, and he wasn’t going to be the first person to test Kenma’s power, and with good reason. 

Kenma’s power was only matched by his beauty. Even in this disheveled state the god was more appealing than even his mother was. His hair grew in a dual tone, starting as black, but the longer it became the more golden it shown until the ends just seemed like thin glittering threads of gold itself. Right now it was half tied up behind his cat-like ears, and a bit on the messy side. Kenma’s ears and tail both twitched in whatever excitement he was gaining from what he was doing on his video game. It was cute and made his father remember how Kenma used to cling to his own tail nervously, twitching at the slightest of gestures whenever he would meet someone new. 

“You’ve been requested by more suitors again. Some are even wondering if I've simply made you up. One of the messengers who came wanted to deliver a message to you personally. Shall I read it to you? It looks like a love letter.” His father said waving a wax sealed scroll in his hand to show Kenma. He stared and waited for nearly a full minute before Kenma looked up for the briefest of seconds. 

“Ah… no, just leave it with the others.” Kenma replied while looking back at his game.

His father tilted his head and blinked, and if Kenma had any self-preservation he would have noticed the annoyed tick his ever-loving father began to develop. He breathed slowly after several more moments, walked as calmly as he could over to the clutter of mortal merchandise, picked up a stack of magazines to move aside, and found where Kenma had created a power source to plug all these devices into. Then, without hesitation, he grabbed what looked like the main power cord and pulled it from the artificial socket. Everything Kenma was focused on just went black. 

A smile touched his face as he finally saw a real reaction from his son. Eyes large with shock and a stalled gasp stuck in his throat as he was now finally looking up properly. Still smiling, Kenma's father dropped the cord like it was a dead snake, and stepped up in front of his son to hold his hand out. “Come. We’re taking a walk outside now. We need to have a proper conversation.” 

Kenma hesitated, but allowed his father to pull him up until he was standing beside him. “You could have let me save first.” He pouted, but still walked ahead to the sliding doors leading out to a lavish garden that was accessible from nearly anywhere on the property. 

“Don’t give me any lip. I’ve given you plenty of time to think about things. More than half a millennia you’ve had countless suitors come for you, and some are actually still waiting.” Once they were outside Kenma did appreciate the warmth and light and slipped his hand under his father’s elbow to hold as they walked. A habit his son never broke from since he was a child. It warmed his old heart that Kenma still acted like a child in front of him even after all these centuries. That probably had a lot to do with how lenient he’s been towards his son, too. It was just too hard to say no. 

Kenma didn’t answer any of his father’s words. His ears flicked atop his head, catching sounds in the garden he was probably not accustomed to paying attention to until he was forced. After a while he did finally look up at his father. “Father, I know you want me to marry, but these suitors you talk to me about… They are all selfish. They don’t care about me at all, they only want my powers of fortune.”

Sighing, Father slipped his hand over Kenma’s and squeezed lightly. “That… I see where you are coming from, dear child, but you also have to understand that such things are our fate. In our hands, we hold the balance of power. This isn’t the mortal realm, you can’t just grant a little success to another god and expect them to be satisfied, or to even take that power and grow it on their own like humans do. All gods are greedy, even us.”

Kenma kept his eyes cast downwards as his father’s calming voice said exactly what he already knew. “That’s why I refuse. I don’t want to be a part of that never ending tug of war others seem to already be drowning in. What’s so fun about being a battery?” he let go of his father’s arm, ignoring the question about what a battery is as he glided forward to stand in front of the man. His long hair and tail curled with his kimono around his legs. “I decided a long time ago, Father, that if it’s for such vain reasons such as my power or my looks, I’ll never let another soul have me.” 

Breathing slowly and rubbing his cheek, Kenma’s father seemed to at least ease back now after hearing those words. “Just like your mother, I can’t argue with you.” He sighed heavily. “if you truly feel that way, then all I have left is to encourage you.” He watched Kenma’s expression soften with hope, “Encourage you to get out and meet others.” He added and now witnessed the hope dying in Kenma’s near disgusted grimace. “I’m serious, Kenma. If you really mean what you say, then how are you going to find the right one if you don’t actually meet with anyone?” 

“Ugh.” Kenma groaned and spun around, facing away from his still persistent father and folding his arms together in agitation. “That’s not the point! I already know I want nothing to do with anyone who even thinks about coming here with half baked notions of glory and empty promises. I can’t stand any of them!” 

His father stepped forward to tug at Kenma's Kimono. Pulling it up from where it had slipped off his shoulders, and laying it back in it’s proper place. “As a father… I want nothing but you’re happiness, Kenma. Please, never forget this.” He pet his hand over one of his son’s ears. “You’re thinking about this matter properly, I understood this now. Go rest for today, and we can talk more on it later.” He waiting until he saw a slight nod from Kenma before he stepped away. “I mean it, rest. No more games.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Waiting until he could no longer hear his fathers footsteps, Kenma let out a long sigh and walked over to where a tree trunk was made into a makeshift chair shaped like a broken eggshell. He slumped into the hard seat and no more than thirty seconds later his sharp hearing picked up the sounds of wings. Kenma glanced up to he his manservant hurrying over on his beautiful large black wings. Kenma gasped and shot to his feet as he watched the silver haired Tengu land gracefully a few feet away. 

Barely giving time for the other to brace himself, Kenma slammed himself into the monster’s chest, nearly knock both of them down in the process. “Koushi! You’re back!” 

“Yes, ow, I only just arrived.” Koushi returned Kenma’s embrace until the cat pulled away and looking up at him with glittering amber eyes. “Did you miss me?” He asked with a gentle smile.

Kenma made a small sound as he nodded happily even with tears floating in his eyes, and shifted his arms up to hug Koushi around the shoulders tightly. “I missed you so much, you stupid Tengu! Why did you leave for so long? Where were you? Father refused to tell me anything, and I feared the worst!”

“Now, now. Calm down, little Kitten.” Koushi hugged him again and pet his hand over Kenma's silky hair. “Shh, don’t cry. I'm back now, and that’s what matters right?” 

Kenma sniffed against Koushi's shoulder as he stopped moving. He blinked at the tiny black feathers on the top of Koushi’s wing that met his eyes when he opened them. Without moving, Kenma's voice suddenly dropped to a serious tone. “No.” Kenma pulled away and took a step back to cross his arms. “Explain yourself, Koushi. Now. I don’t care if it was some secret before you and father. You are mine, and father had no right sending you away. So start talking, Koushi before I decide that I was roasted chicken for dinner tonight.” 

Koushi’s wings bristled a second before they shook slightly to settle the feathers back into place. “Yes, well… I barely had time to process what was happening before your father had my bags packed and was shipping me off while saying, ‘This is for Kenma's sake, I hope you understand.’ I didn’t understand at the time what that meant.” He made a huffing sound with his hand raised as if to uselessly present his orders. “But now I’m glad I went.”

Kenma arched a brow, the test of his patience spiking. "What the hell does that mean?" 

Koushi bristled again, being gone seems to have made him forget how prickly Kenma can be. “Not what you think it does, it means I’m happy I took the job because if anyone else did it would have been a disaster.” 

“Then-!”

Koushi cut him off with a light tap of two fingers to Kenma's lips, “please, can I enjoy being home a little first, I was already going to tell you everything anyway. Now that the mission is over I’m not sworn to secrecy anymore.” 

Kenma sighed hard, puffing his cheeks out as he did. “Fine.” He rolled his eyes as he turned away to go crawl back in the eggshell stump. “But why did father send you away? He has tons of other servants he can boss around,” Kenma grew pouty and pulled his legs up to mumbled into his knees. “but no, he has to take my Koushi away instead.”

"I stopped asking why your dad does the things he does a long time ago.” Koushi came over and somehow managed to squish himself into the eggshell with Kenma. Making sure he wedged himself behind Kenma slightly so he wouldn’t squish the smaller bodied god. “So what had your ears looking all slumped before you noticed me, little kitten?” 

Kenma sighed and leaned back against Koushi’s chest, looked up at the tree branches swaying in the wind. “Nothing.” He groaned to the sky above. “It’s still the same spiel, but maybe a little more insistent than it has been in a long time.” 

“I see.” Koushi began combing his fingers through Kenma’s long hair even though he knew he wouldn’t find any tangles. “You know, though… Maybe he’s right.” He flinched when Kenma sat up suddenly and glared at him. “Just hear me out, okay?” he waited until the god eased back against him again, a silent acceptance to hear what Koushi had to say. “As I was saying, why don’t you just give it a try for once? It’s been so long since you attended any banquets. Maybe you could meet Mrs. or Mr. Right at one.” Koushi twirled a lock of Kenma’s hair now like it was toy. “and you know I’ll be with you, so I’ll definitely chase off any of the creepy ones.” He made fists and threw out a few playful punches in front of them. 

Kenma couldn’t hide the giggle that Koushi drew out of him by acting silly just for that purpose. “No, I know what you and father mean. I know I’m just delaying the inevitable, and I’ll probably end up exactly like what’s expected of me, but it’s… it’s just not what I want. No matter how hard I try I just can’t bring myself to settle for things like that.” 

Koushi nodded and hugged Kenma briefly before just letting his arm lay loosely around him. “If I were an actual god, maybe I would have been the same and came chasing after you, too. That’s a really scary thought.” 

Kenma glanced up, “why is that scary, Koushi? If it were you, I might even accept.” 

Heat rose to Koushi’s cheeks and he got poked in the ribs for letting the reaction show so vibrantly. “No, you wouldn’t because if that were the case I wouldn’t be your manservant and you wouldn’t even know me then. I’d just be one of the many unread summons rotting in the corner of your room.” 

Kenma rolled his eyes and sighed out a small chuckle. “Then who would be my manservant, Koushi, if not you?” his fingers threaded together in front of himself, “Though I don’t think manservant is the right word. You’re my friend, Koushi. My closest friend.” He suddenly gasped and by his reaction he finally realized what it would mean if Koushi had never been brought to this house. “Wait… No.” Kenma scrabbled to turn around and cling to Koushi’s front tightly. “Nope. I don’t like that. Don’t be a god, Koushi. I want you to stay my friend forever.” 

Koushi laughed and hugged the god tightly until Kenma was forced to turn his head to breath fresh air. “It was only a hypothesis, little Kitten. I can’t just suddenly become a god. I’m Tengu, so like you, I was born into this life.” Petting Kenma’s hair over his back now, Koushi felt more like a mother than friend, let alone a manservant. “I won’t leave you, even when you do find someone you can trust. I’ll move with you and stay always.” 

Kenma’s ears perked up, “promise?” he asked, looking more like the kid from centuries ago than the adult he was now. 

“Of course, if I have any say in it I want to serve you until the day my wings can’t support my own weight anymore.” Koushi said with a smile at Kenma who only acting spoiled like this in front of him. They stayed like that for a long while, and Koushi knew the instant Kenma relaxed too much and fell asleep. This meant that Koushi was stuck there in the garden with his young god until said god woke up. Sighing, Koushi resigned to his fate, but after twenty minutes of sitting in that hard uncomfortable concaved stump, his wings started to ache and go numb from sitting back on them too long.

Koushi saw his salvation when a young maiden came out the house nearby. She slithered on a long serpent-like body towards the back of the house with a basket full of Kenma’s dirty laundry. “Ma-“ Koushi stopped himself from calling out, but maybe a little too late, Kenma stirred against him. He began waving his hand out instead and he only knew she spotted him when he heard a giggle. After a moment she came up to the two in the garden chair with a smirk that threatened to break her pretty facr, and the basket of linens clutched at her hip.

“My, my.” she whispered in a light voice. “What do we have here? A little birdy nursing his grown kitten.” She tapped her fingers on her chest with a fake gasp. “How inappropriate, Mr. Koushi!” She was all smiles as she stared at the bored gaze Koushi was stabbing her with. “Oh, forgive me.” She set the basket down and bow mockingly to him. “How may I serve you, Mother Koushi?” 

“Are you done?” Koushi asked in a deadpanned voice. 

“No, but I’ll control myself.” She responded and picked up the basket to stand more casually in front of Koushi. 

Koushi sighed and cleared his throat of any foul words for the snake that wanted to bubble up. “I don’t think I even want your help now.”

“Help with what?” she asked anyway.

He pointed to his wing that was especially painful now with being curled up under not only his weight, but nearly all of Kenma’s as well. 

“Just move, he won’t wake up.” She leaned closer to gently flick the tip Kenma’s ear with the blunt edge of her normally sharp claw. “He never wakes up when I clean his room, no matter how much noise I make.” 

Koushi swatted her hand away before she could do any more to their master. “Stop that, Maiha!” he growled but held his hand out to her. “Just help me move, okay? My wings are already numb, so I can’t push off with them with Kenma on me, too.” 

Maiha giggled at that situation, she had only barely started to pull Koushi up when Kenma sat up suddenly and they both froze. “Whoa-“ 

Without a word, Kenma reached up and pulled Koushi’s wing out for him in just the right angle that it actually felt good to have it in. Koushi groaned from the relief of the pain and the tingly feeling coming back into his wing, but then found himself laughing quickly after. Kenma hadn’t hesitated to grab Koushi’s hand from Maiha and pull it back up to where he’d been petting Kenma earlier. Curling back up again in the shelter of feathers and Koushi’s body heat. “There. Now stop complaining.” Kenma muttered.

Maiha had her hands up in surrender from Kenma, but was on the verge of laughing again. “Yes, Master Kenma.” She said politely and moved to pick up her basket again. When she looked back at Koushi he just shrugged and silently thanked her for trying to help. Maiha left feeling like a third wheel she felt like, but she didn’t mind since she knew that Kenma was basically inseparable from the Tengu when he was around. She glanced back at the pair with a smile before she disappeared around the back of the house.

•••••

At some point Koushi fell asleep as well and awoke alone in the garden chair around dusk. The time skip made him panic immediately since it wasn’t like him to just crash like that. With a few easy fans of his wings, Koushi cut through the garden to land on the path outside Kenma’s room. “Kenma? I’m coming in.” He announced before sliding the door open and stepping inside quickly. The room was dimly lit, but it was pretty obvious where Kenma was from the sounds of electronic gameplay in the connecting room. 

Lighting a few candles in the bedroom first, Koushi took his time before going to confront Kenma. Sliding the inner door open, he let the candlelight flood the room before Koshi found the switch for the cute human lamp Kenma kept on the table beside his chair. “Kenma, why didn’t you wake me up?” 

Glancing up, Kenma played innocent, but one arched brow from Koushi made him smile instead. “You just looked tired, so I let you sleep. You did just come back from that trip father sent you on, didn’t you?” 

“Well, yes, but that’s not the point. It isn’t right for me to just sleep the entire day like that.” Koushi pointed at the candy wrappers that were scattered on the table. “Have you even eaten today? That human junk is seriously going to rot your insides.” 

Kenma rolled his eyes and stretched forward, pausing his game as he did before setting the controller down. “I’ll eat now if you cook it.” 

“That-“ Koushi stammered, “isn’t there an entire kitchen staff here ready to cook your meals? Why must I take their work away from them?” 

Standing up, Kenma sloppily fixed his clothes and brushed his hair back over his shoulder. “Because you’ve been gone for an entire month, Koushi.” He stepped forward, closing the distance between them and reaching up to brush his fingers down Koshi’s impeccably worn clothes over his chest. Kenma glanced up and folded his ears back against his head. “I miss your cooking. Can I not have it?” he asked in a low tone that would seduce even the hardest of demons. 

Swallowing hard, Koushi grabbed Kenma’s hands and lifted them from where they were starting to tease under the lapels of his overcoat. “I- You know I can’t say no, Kenma, so please relent.” He said in defeat. 

Kenma smiled and leaned up to press a soft kiss to Koushi’s lips before could react. He grinned proudly as the tengu’s feathers bristled out like they were all about to pop out and fall to the floor. “I want something sweet, Koushi.” 

Blinking several times, Koushi just nodded and shook his wings but it did no good to settle the prickled feathers. “R-right. Sweet. Okay.” He turned to leave and only made it to the door before to looked back to see Kenma standing there with that look of satisfaction still painting his features. “You… you stop doing that, too. What if someone saw it and got the wrong idea?” with that Koushi left the room. 

Kenma, alone again, walked around his room, gathering up all the candles Koushi had lit with a simple flick of his wrist. Each one floated without assistance through the room to settle on a table where Kenma now sat at to wait for Koushi’s return. He sighed and laid his head on the table, “If someone saw, huh? Is that all you’re worried about?” he asked the candle light that flickered in the light breeze seeping into the room from outside.

With nothing to distract him, Kenma let out another sigh as he began thinking about this whole situation his was in to begin with. “Annoying.” He muttered and raised his head to lean on his palm across the table. “Is it really too much to ask for? I’m not a tool.” Kenma asked, still muttering to his own thoughts. His bright amber eyes flicked up and one of the dimming flames shot up to follow and burn like a playful wisp in the air. “I just don’t want to be with someone as just their font.” Another tiny flame joined the first one and they began to dance together. The only thing limiting their movement was Kenma’s imagination. 

Kenma eventually laid back on the floor to play with the flames. That’s exactly how Koushi found the shimmering god, too. On the floor manipulating enough individual flames to form two miniature armies that were in a crackling dramatic charge towards each other. The only question in Koushi’s mind was how this had even developed in the first place. “I think that’s enough playing, Kenma. Sit up.” He said instead revealing his curiosity and fully entered the room. 

The little flames all sparked and stalled, a mirror image of how Koushi actually managed to startled the god. He sat up and most of the fire flickered out save for the two original ones, which fluttered down to their respective wicks as Kenma sat up. “Welcome back.” 

Koushi nodded and came forward to set a wooden serving tray on the table before placing the dishes of food in front of Kenma. “I made grilled fish that has a mild sweet flavor.” He set several side dishes Kenma liked out as well without explaining them. “I also made desert, so save room for it.” He said as he set a plate of apple pastry tarts at the end of the table, and once the tray was empty and he folded it under his arm to pet Kenma’s now alert ears backs. “After you eat your dinner.” He said, chuckling because he knew just how much the god loved apples. 

Koushi stood up and turned to leave when Kenma spoke up, “Why don’t you join me?” 

Koushi paused because he hadn’t thought about his own dinner yet. “I’ll just grab somethi-“ He was drawn up short when he looked back at Kenma and found an identical set of dishes on opposite side of the table from Kenma. A set that was definitely not there before. “Wha- If you could just make it appear like that, why’d you make me cook?”

Kenma smiled, his eyes squinting narrowly with mischief, “because I prefer your cooking, Koushi. Please?” He stood up slightly on his knees and waved his hand for Koushi to sit. “I don’t want to eat alone knowing you’re back.” 

Koushi sighed slowly, unable to deny Kenma anything, he accepted and sat down across from the god to share the meal with him. They ate together quietly with a static-like tension building in the room, until Koushi took a moment to pour them both some tea and Kenma finally spoke his mind. 

“Will you tell me where father sent you?” Kenma asked and met Koushi’s eyes the same moment the tengu looked up. “You were gone for a long time, so I’m curious.”

Sitting back down and stalling by sipping his tea, Koushi nodded slowly. “Of course, you are. I suppose…” He looked up to see Kenma waiting patiently, expectantly. “it’s fine to tell you.” He cleared his throat softly. “He, your father, sent me as a liaison to another god’s realm. I won’t bore you with the details, I promise.”

Kenma hummed softly, his eye flickering downward. “For what reason?” 

“Reason?” Koushi let out a short laugh, “You don’t-“

“I do.” 

Koushi swallowed and looked at the god whose shimmering aura was beginning to prickle with impatience. “He was the god who was being abnormally persistent in courting you. The one… that had those serpents break in to kidnap you.” He hated reminding Kenma of that incident, it happened nearly a decade ago, but to monsters even like himself, ten years was the blink of an eye. 

••  
*Two serpents had slithered their way into Kenma’s mother’s realm, they made it past all the defenses and managed to actually touch Kenma that night. They didn’t live long enough to do much more than that, Kenma hadn’t given them the chance to even escape the room. Sadly, neither were several of the household staff. The whole of the detached estate had burned to the ground before anyone in the main house was even aware. The only one to survive the blaze was Kenma, and Koushi was the first one to find him among the embers. That was the only time he’d ever seen Kenma cry.*

Koushi saw the flash of regret cross over Kenma’s face before he looked away, “I’m sorry, Kenma.” 

Kenma remained silent, as did Koushi who waited for what would come next. The first sign was Kenma’s chest rising in a quick sigh, “Why?” he began, “why would father send you to such a place? Is he seriously- … I won’t do it.“ his voice lowered into disgust. “I’ll burn a thousand realms before I let that repulsive snake touch me again.”

Koushi’s eyes caught on the oil lamps that sparked brighter; he quickly got up and moved around to Kenma to sit beside him. “Calm down, Kenma, please. I didn’t want to tell you because you would have refused to let me go, but I went so that you wouldn’t have to. That god, Dai-“

“Don’t say It's name!” Kenma snapped.

“Sorry, I won’t.” Koushi reached up to pet Kenma’s head, and Kenma almost immediately moved to lean against his chest. “He sent a summons for you, a compensation for… for the death’s of his servants. The thing is… your father found an obvious loophole in the summons and we came up with the idea that I go in your stead. I was supposed to be there for a year, Kenma, but because he couldn’t change his own contract, he voided it after a month.” 

There was no reaction from Kenma, to the point that Koushi began leaning down in an attempt to see his face, but as Koushi’s face came into view for Kenma giggles bubbled up, and Kenma lifted his head. “Really? You bored them so much that they let you go early?” 

Smiling back, happy to see Kenma smile again, Koushi shrugged. “I guess so. They couldn’t touch me as a stand-in for a god, and since I wasn’t the one who actually killed the servants, they couldn’t sentence me to anything binding, which I’m pretty sure that’s what they were planning to do with you.” 

Kenma’s features softened as he listened to Koushi’s explanation, “you went so you could save me?” He asked as he sat up straighter, but didn’t change the distance between himself and Koushi; which made Koushi tense up and lean away first, turning his head away even. “Why would you do that? You could have been killed, Koushi, or worse.” Kenma lifted a hand and tapped one red painted finger to Koushi’s chin to make him look back. “What if I didn’t see you for a whole year, what would be your excuse for making me wait so long?” Kenma asked as if that were the worst case scenario here. 

“Kenma, I-“ Koushi placed his hands on Kenma’s shoulders to apply at least some distance between them again. Luckily, Kenma was in the complying mood. “If I hadn’t gotten word of my early release, your father was to tell you what was going on.” Koushi smiled and pet down Kenma’s head to make a soft ear fold down and flick back up into place again. It was something that made Kenma relax since he was little. “And if anything happened to threaten my life your father was ready to extract me.” 

“I see.” Kenma sighed and turned back to the table with a more relaxed demeanor. “I suppose I was worried over nothing if you and father had everything handled.” He looked sideways at the bristled feathers at the tops of Koushi’s wings. “I just wish I wasn’t kept in the dark about it all.”

Koushi got up to move back to his place at the table. “It was only for your safety that we didn’t tell you right away.” 

That only made Kenma sigh more, “I’m not some helpless thing to be coddled, Koushi.” He stood up on his knees then and rudely reached over the table to drag the plate of apple tarts to him and promptly began eating one and a second already ready in his other hand. “I am a god, or did you forget that?” 

Koushi immediately shook his head, “No! no, I-“ He coughed, “anyone would be crazy to forget, Kenma.” Koushi smirked, watching the teasing smile Kenma had gained fade just as quickly until Kenma’s eyes averted downward and he placed the uneaten tart back on the plate. 

“Right.” Kenma whispered before standing up and walked away from the table. He headed towards the bedroom and felt Koushi watching the whole way. After he disappeared into the dark room Koushi watched one of the lamp lights near him flicker and split into two. One stayed to burn while the other floated through the air into the dark room as well. For only a moment Kenma’s shadow illuminated on the divider screens. 

Koushi’s eyes were still focused up on the walls as the light dimmed and soon came back into view as Kenma peeked through the door at him. When Kenma didn’t say anything, Koushi stood up and came around the table. “Do you need anything, Kenma?” He asked after having noted the whimsical and child-like way Kenma was trying to get his attention. *The will of gods are as unknown as time.* He thought tiredly. 

Kenma made a strange sound in his throat. “I was wondering if you’d stay...”He stepped further into view, “Would you stay the night with me? Please?” 

Koushi felt his heart twinge in his chest. This was one of the times he truly loved and hated that he was chosen to live here with Kenma. He learned a long time ago that Kenma only said “please” to him, and it made it impossible to deny Kenma anything he asks in connection to the word. Slowly, Koushi nodded and walked to where Kenma waited. “Of course, Kenma.” He watched Kenma’s eyes flash happily when his request was accepted, and when Kenma started leading the way into the room Koushi looked back, wanting to at least clean up, but when he did he saw nothing of the meal they had just shared left in the room. Koushi shook his head and entered the bedroom to close the doors as he asked, “It’s pretty early, are you really sleepy already, Kenma?” When he turned again he was drawn up short when he saw Kenma’s glimmering kimono discarded onto the floor. 

“Hm, no.” Kenma’s voice came from the bathroom this time. “I thought you could help me scrub my back first, Koushi.” He said, “it’s always worked in the past, right? To get me sleepy.” 

“Of course,” Koushi replied as he picked up the kimono, then whispered, “this is really not how you should treat a celestial garment, though, little kitten.” 

“Shush.”

Koushi looked up a bit startled to suddenly find Kenma standing before him, and only in a bath robe. “Sorry, but really, you shouldn’t. You’re mother gave this to you.” Koushi let Kenma pull the silk from his hands to hang properly on his rack. 

“Better?” Kenma asked sarcastically. 

Koushi chuckled, “Quite.” He followed Kenma into the bathroom and helped to pin all of his hair up to keep it dry. He averted his eyes when Kenma disrobed. “What scent would you like tonight?” he asked instead and moved to a vanity with different oils and scented salts collected on top. 

Kenma wasn’t listening as he stepped into the steaming pool of bath water. Gods didn’t need to bath, but just like his parents and many of his kin, he indulged himself in the scents and hot relaxing waters. “Bring the one that smells like cinnamon.” Kenma requested softly, but then quickly turned and pointed. “Oh, wait. I want to try something new I brought back.”

Koushi followed where Kenma was pointing with his eyes and saw a lilac colored paper bag sitting by the mirrors. Retrieving it, he came back to Kenma and kneeled by the bath. “What is it?” he asked, letting Kenma reach in and watched him pull out two spheres. One colored yellow and the other was blue. 

“They’re called Bath Bombs.” Kenma replied and stared at the two for a moment longer, “the yellow one.” He muttered and put the blue bomb back inside the bag so he could unwrap the one he chose.

“Do they explode?” Koushi asked curiously as he watched. 

Kenma shrugged, “I suppose so, the mortal that sold it to me said she loves them and told me how to use it.” He leaned forward to drop the ball a bit away from himself. Both their eyes widened as it started fizzing and rapidly expanding bubbles outward from the center. “Hmm… a little anticlimactic if you ask me.” Kenma sounded disappointed that it didn’t actually explode. 

Koushi breathed a short laugh through his nose, “at least it smells good.” 

Kenma nodded, “Yeah, what is that?” 

Picking up the plastic wrapper, Koushi uncrumpled it to read the words, “It says Milk and Honey.” 

Kenma hummed and waved his hands through the water to bring more of the suds closer. “That’s it. I’m smelling the honey.” They sat silently together while Kenma relaxed and the bath bomb's scent filled the room. 

“Do you still want me to wash you back?” Koushi's attention hadn’t moved from where the bomb was wiggling around in the water as it seemed to release more bubbles than before.

“I do, but why don’t you join me? The bath is more than big enough for two.” Kenma moved to lean on the side and look up at Koushi. “Besides, you still smell like snake.” 

Koushi had started to decline almost immediately, but the snake comment made him hesitate. “Do- do I really?” he asked, sniffing his arm with sudden concern for his hygiene. 

“Yeah, pretty much. All I could smell was wet reptile on you when you came back today. It was so much that I couldn’t sleep at all.” Kenma flicked a finger in the water to splash Koushi's clothes a little. 

Koushi rubbed the wet spots with a small pout, “how long was I even asleep in the garden alone?” 

“Pretty much the whole time.” Kenma admitted with a giggle. “So come on, get in with me, Koushi.” Kenma tilted his head slightly as he looked up, “Please?” 

Koushi actually cringed, “Ugh… Who taught you how to make that face? Seriously.” 

“Maiha did.” Kenma answered immediately, unashamed. 

Sighing, Koushi stood up. “Remind me to de-fang her next time I see her.” 

“Okay!” Kenma said happily as he watched Koushi disrobe. Unlike Kenma, he took his time washing any dirt off first, especially his wings since they sometimes get dirtier than the rest of him. “I said you smell, not that you’re dirty, Koushi. Won’t it be difficult if you get your wings that wet?” 

Shaking his head, Koushi rinsed and ran his fingers through each feather. “No, but I will have to shake them out afterwards, and I won’t be able to fly until tomorrow. They’re too heavy when their wet, it’s why I don’t go out when the weather looks bad.” He looked back over his shoulder, “I have to do this once in while anyway.”

“Hmm, wings sure seem difficult to take care of.” Kenma mused as he watched with his chin resting on the side of the bath, his tail moving slowly through the bubbles. “How come you never fussed about your wings in the bath when we were little?” 

Instead of answering Koushi rinsed off the soap and got up to walk around the other side of the bath and sink down into the water. He kept his wing stretched out over the side to lay across the floor behind him because damp floors were better than fully submerging his feathers. “Why are you suddenly curious about my wings?” 

Kenma sat up across from Koushi, and waved his hands through the water again, spreading the honey scented bubbles even though they now covering the whole of the bath surface. “It’s not really just your wings.” Kenma shrugged, “I wonder about a lot of things, and it just so happens that right now I’m wondering about you.” 

The look Kenma briefly graced him with sent a shiver up his spine and color to his cheeks. “I- Well, uhm…” Koushi turned slightly to rest an arm on the rim and to have an excuse to look away from Kenma. “When we kids I didn’t have to worry about it so much. I couldn’t fly until my primary flight feathers fully grew in anyway. Then… I suppose you didn’t see me grooming them since I didn’t do it in front of you.” His eyes twitched in Kenma's direction when he heard the water splash. Koushi watched Kenma sink down up to his nose into water, but it was the god's eyes that made him flitch a little. 

Kenma stayed like that for a long time, just staring at Koushi without moving or even attempting to speak. It was to the point that Koushi started to become concerned that Kenma was angry for some reason. “Koushi?” He finally asked, lifting his head from the water so that it rippled under his chin. “What happened then? Why did you stop staying in my room with me, and playing with me? You used to cry if you couldn’t sleep in my room, so why now?” Kenma stay low in the water and began moving forward. “When did you stop being my friend and became my servant instead.” 

“Kenma, it’s not like that at a-.“ He jerked away when he felt Kenma’s hand on his knee, “I just-“ He reached under the water to grab Kenma’s wrist and pulled both their hands above the water forcefully enough to make Kenma gasp in surprise. “Stop that! You know why I can’t anymore! I was always and am always going to be your servant.” He had never raised his voice like that to Kenma before, even if it wasn’t actually that loud, and now he lowered to just a whisper. “I was sold to your father to be your playmate, and now that we are older I am yours alone to command.” He couldn’t bring himself to look up again, “You are my master, Kenma, but also my friend.”

“My friend?” Kenma asked as if it stung him to say it. “Friends don’t command their friends, have I ever once commanded you, Koushi?” he wriggled his wrist out of Koushi’s grip and moved to sit beside him. “I don’t recall ever treating you like a servant.” 

“I know.” Koushi nodded, “but that’s why… why I had to put some distance between us because I didn’t want you to become confused.” 

Kenma laughed, it was sudden and made Koushi jump again, and he looked up now. “Confused?” he giggled again, “I think you might have things backwards. I think you are the one who is confused because…” He leaned closer and under the cover of the bubble he slipped is hand over Koushi’s thigh. This time when the tengu reached under to force Kenma off, Koushi found his hands pushing on an invisible force, unable to physically touch Kenma. “I know exactly what I want, Koushi.” 

“Kenma! Kenma, stop this, now!” He tried to get up, but again Kenma used his power to force his will onto Koushi. When he felt Kenma's fingers so close to touching the place that anticipated it the most, Koushi felt his heart leap painfully in his chest. Unable to resist, Koushi's hands came up to cover his face as he slouched forward. “Please.” Kenma’s hand stopped, “please stop doing this, Kenma.” 

Kenma withdrew himself from Koushi, he had never heard that kind of voice coming from his closest companion. One that suddenly sounded defeated. “I’m sorry. I didn’t…” Kenma sighed, “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just-“ 

Koushi didn’t wait for Kenma to explain, he stood up and got out of the bath first, and didn’t speak until he had a towel to cover himself with. “You can finish bathing alone, right?” he asked, without looking back. 

Koushi left the room before Kenma had even found the words to reply, and now he was alone in the too large bathroom that suddenly felt too cold for the hot water still steaming up the room. Kenma took his time getting out and towel drying himself off. He dried his tail completely with a quick swipe of his hand from the base to the tip; as if it were never wet to begin with. By the time he left the bathroom Koushi had already dressed and was setting out clothes for Kenma as well. 

They didn’t speak or even look at each other as Kenma dressed himself, and once he had the layers well enough on that they wouldn’t fall off, but loose enough to be comfortable, he turned to face Koushi again. “Turn around.” Kenma caught the confused glance before Koushi complied to a quick gesture Kenma made by circling his finger downward, and he faced away from his master. Kenma's fingers traced over the strong black feather at first, but soon a heat grew between them as Kenma’s hand moved over their full length, drying them out like he had done to his tail. 

Once his wings were dry and felt light again, Koushi turned around again, “you didn’t have to do that.” 

“I wanted to.” Kenma took a step back with his eyes downcast, feeling conscious now of what he'd done. “And I’m sorry for scaring you.”

Koushi shook his head, “you didn’t scare me. I scared myself, you were only being honest.” 

Kenma nodded, simply accepting what Koushi said instead of fighting it. “Will you still stay? I promise not to do anything more.” 

“Even without that promise, I’ll stay.” Koushi replied softly and stepped around Kenma to place a guiding hand on his back. “We can sleep, and tomorrow I'll take you somewhere nice. Some fresh scenery will do us both some good.” 

Kenma nodded again, and climbed into his bed to crawl to the middle. He sat up there and waited for Koushi to join him. “Anywhere is fine if you’re there.” Kenma whispered as he watched Koushi climb in and lay on his side so his wings would rest behind him. He waited still until Koushi was comfortable and patted the bed for Kenma to slid down under the covers. All the fire light in the room dimmed until they fizzled out and only the ambient light from outside illuminated shapes in the room. “Hey, Koushi?” 

“Hm?”

“Can I come closer?” Kenma asked in a childlike whisper. 

“Are you cold?” Koushi asked and opened his eyes to see Kenma's divine aura flicker as he nodded. Without any further verbal confirmation, Koushi reached a hand out and Kenma moved closer until his head rested below Koushi's chin. He felt Kenma’s body relax through a long quiet sigh, as if a monster’s touch was enough to calm all his worries. “Better?” 

Kenma hummed softly and nodded before snuggling closer. “Yes.” 

Koushi stayed awake until Kenma was deep in his dreams, only then did he allow himself to relax and find his own slumber. 

That night, while god and monster slept peaceful unaware, Kenma's father still worked tirelessly. Kenma barely saw a fraction of the summons and courtship letters and other various invitations he actually received. The rest were all dealt with by his father who not only answered then, he lied on them. As far as most ignorant gods were concerned, Kenma was still too young to be wed. 

He sighed and rubbed his tired eyes. “There is no end to this.” He grumbled, unaware of the visitor who came in silently and was watching the god curiously. “I wish he'd just choose one already...” 

“Master Nobunao?” A faint voice came from the door after a soft belated knock. “Master Nobunao, my apologies for interrupting you so late, but you have a visitor.” 

Nobunao looked up with an arched brow, “a visitor? At this hour? Why didn’t you send them away?” he asked gruffly, feeling irritated that he would have to entertain some night crawler. 

“I’m sorry, Master, but they… he was very persistent in needing to speak with you. He wouldn’t relay the message to me.” The small mouse-like servant replied quickly. He held his own thin tail nervously, “and…” 

“And?” Nobunao prompted. 

“A-and he- um… may have slipped away when I wasn’t looking.” The words spilled out faster and a little squeaky near the end. “I can’t find him.” 

Nobunao blinked once and was immediately on his feet. “WHAT?!” He came around the desk still yelling, “KUROO!” The name was nearly instantly answered by a cat's meow from behind him when there hadn’t been anyone before. A large black cat sat on the corner of the desk, twin tails half curled around his feet and flicking with impatience. “There you are. Go check on Kenma, and stay there until it’s safe. No one leaves or enters that room, do you understand?” 

“Mrow!” Kuroo jumped down and ran from the room through he door left ajar by the mousey servant. The urgency of his master and the trust behind the command driving him into action without complaint. 

Once Nobunao was sure Kuroo would protect his son at any cost, he turned back to the servant now shaking from how much trouble he was surely in. “Renzo, go keep searching and tell the others to help. We have snake in the garden and this time it won’t slip through our fingers.” 

“Yes, master! Right away!” Renzo ran out of the room as well. Soon voices and sounds could be heard as more people joined the search inside and outside of the residence. 

“There are a million places to hide in this realm, but you won’t get past me.” Nobunao muttered as he paced the room to wait for news of any kind. 

“Y’know, I thought that mouse kid would never leave. It took me forever to find this place.” 

Nobunao spun around, but saw nothing. “Who’s there?! Show yourself!” He thought better of facing the unknown voice empty handed and reached over his desk where his weapon sat and pulled the long Kanata from it's sheath, but before he could fully draw the blade and hand came out of nowhere and forced the sword back down into it’s sheath where it became stuck. “Wha-“ Nobunao tried to pull it a few more times but upon failure he turned his attention to the disembodied hand. 

From where the hand had materialized the space around it bent and withered, and it was as if the hand slowly grew it’s own arm and soon enough it’s own body to go along with it. There, hovering lazily a few feet off the ground was a demon. Thin sinewy muscles covering his body where there was a lack in clothing choice, still appearing large even with a skinny frame. Leathery wings, large and powerful, that moved but didn’t flap to keep him afloat arched off his back, and a thin serpent like tail wriggled around as if it had a mind of its own. 

A wide chilling smile touched the demon’s lips as a hand raked through his spikey blazon red hair, careful of the sharp horns that speared up from the front of his hairline. “It won’t do either of us any good if my pretty head is separate from my body, Master Nobunao.” The demon said lightly and floated backwards a few feet to take on a formal bow for the god, but at the same time it was mocking to have a demon bow his head. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Satori, and I am a demon, but I swear on my master that I mean you and your realm no harm.” Satori raised his head and lingered closer again, “in fact, I come here asking for help.” 

That gave Nobunao pause. A demon that would crawl up from the Under Realms to ask for help was already a rare sight, but the fact that this demon was powerful enough to actually accomplish such a feat was astounding. “How… are you even here? Demon's can’t be in the Divine Realms.” 

Satori acted like he was checking his long claws for dirt. “I’m used to it, let’s just leave it at that for now.” Satori's bare feet finally touched the floor and he walked behind Nobunao to sit in the chair in front of the god’s desk. “Now, may I ask for a bit of your time tonight, Master Nobunao? I’ve traveled a long way to find you, and I am in a bit of a rush here.” He said as he reached over the desk to pick a candy from a dish that Nobunao kept handy for the younger servants and children that resided under his wife’s roof.

Slowly coming to terms with the situation, Nobunao went back to his chair and sat down across from the demon. “I can only assume it is important if a demon is willing to put his life in danger to come all this way.” 

Satori's sharp teeth made quick, and loud crunching work of the candy before he sat back and made the first serious expression since he materialized. “It is life and death I am here to speak about. If you don’t help me then surely death wins, but if you do choose to help, them maybe there is a chance.” 

“A chance for whom?” Nobunao asked, his hands coming up to fold together in front of him as the demon at least peaked his interest. 

“My master. He is dying, and when a god dies there is no reincarnation. I want to prevent this from happening, Master Nobunao.” A darkness flashed over Satori's face, something akin to sadness, but there was something else hidden behind his eyes. 

This information puzzled Nobunao more than he could have ever guessed. “A god? Dying? How is that possible, that’s ridiculous, Demon. Gods can’t die.” 

Satori looked up sharply and suddenly he was leaning over the desk. He spoke softly, but there was a shiver inducing warning behind his words. “I assure you, Master Nobunao, gods can most affirmatively die.” 

A silence weighed over them both as Satori slowly sat back down. Nobunao couldn’t shake the feeling that this demon was telling the truth, and that terrified him. The mere thought of a divine being's life essence being snuffed out like mortals was mortifying. 

Before either of them could say anything else the door opened and a servant poked her head in, “Master Nobunao, no one can find any traces of the intruder. Maiha and some others are standing watch outside Master Kenma's residence.” 

“Oh-“ Nobunao looked quickly from the servant to Satori, but the demon was gone again without a trace. “Uh… Um.” 

“Master?” 

Not having time to comprehend everything yet, Nobunao looked up again, “Stay on guard for now, and only report in if you find anything.” He commanded and waited until he was alone again to speak, “Demon? Where are you?” 

“I told you, my name is Satori.” Satori's voice alone came from the chair he'd just been in, a second later the air writhed and morphed until he was visible again. “And I’m still here, I just hid my presence.” 

“That seems like a rather useful talent you possess, De- Satori.” Sitting back, Nobunao stared at Satori as he revisited his previous thoughts. “Might I ask who your master is? I want to know who is requesting such heavy help from a God of fortune.” 

“Ah, that’s another thing…” Satori sat up, “he doesn’t actually know I came here. He specifically forbade me from asking for help since it will mean others finding out his…” he paused, “circumstances.” 

Nobunao's brows furrowed, “so you are disobeying, breaking into another’s realm, and stirring up all my employee’s. How am I supposed to believe anything you say after that? If you can’t tell me any defining information, then I won’t even consider listening to anything else you have to say.” 

Satori shrunk a bit in his chair, feeling the power grow from the god in front of him as emotions rose in the room. “I never said I wouldn’t tell you, I just can’t until I have your word.” 

“My word?” 

“Yes. My master, he- beyond his control, he lives in certain circumstances.” Satori repeated. “It’s never been spoken about outside his realm, and I can’t tell you anything unless I have your Divine Word that you won’t gossip about this at Sunday brunch with your godly buddies.” Satori was sitting up now, his wings uniformly pressed tightly to his back as if even speaking about this had him on edge.

Nobunao took his time answering this time. He couldn’t make such a promise lightly since giving his word like that would mean he would have a small but binding contract with this demon until said demon deemed it void. A god giving his or her Divine Word was not a matter of frivolousness. He had to take everything into account here, from the seemingly dire request followed by the obscured information. Staring at Satori, he knew this demon had to be a powerful one if he was sitting calmly here in a realm created by pure divine power. The very floor his feet touch should be burning him, but he looked unaffected by anything until it came to talking about his master. 

“If I give you my word to just keeping the information about your master secret, will that include my decision on whether or not I help in them end?” Nobunao finally asked. 

“No, but once you know, your decision to help will likely be greatly affected. Whether for the good or bad, I couldn’t tell you. I only want your word that anything I say will never leave this room.” Satori reached his hand over the desk. “Humans do this as a sign of trust. I’m trusting you not to tell anyone else about my master.” When Nobunao didn’t catch on immediately, Satori added in a whisper, “you shake it.” 

“Shake what?” Nobunao asked with a confused expression as Satori's hand went ignored. 

“My hand, ya idio-“ Satori almost let his tongue slip and had to remind himself that not many gods were tolerant of him like his master was. “Nevermind.” He pulled his hand back. “Is it a deal?” 

Nobunao hummed and leaned into his hand as he considered his options. “Before that, can you at least tell me what it is you are requesting from me?” 

Satori glanced around, and spoke with his eyes still searching the interior of the room. “You have a son, do you not?” 

Eyebrows furrowing again, Nobunao didn’t like that this demon knew of such things when he was still wondering how Satori knew his own name before coming here. “Why do you ask? Does this concern him?”

Only Satori’s eyes slid back to view the god. “Yes, if he is still unwed, it would greatly concern him.”

“Maybe you can elaborate a little more.” Nobunao sat forward and folded his hands over the desk, “because do you see these stacks of papers and scrolls?” he waited for Satori to take in the mess that was his desk. “each one of these are asking of the same thing you are right now. If this is just another gods scheme to take my son, you can leave right now, Demon Satori.” 

Satori, without so much as a flake of hesitation reached out and tapped one pointed claw onto one of the stacks. Immediately, they all burst into flames and burned until there was nothing left, not even ash. There were no scorch marks or even smoke, only a clean desk and Satori staring unfazed by Nobunao's shocked expression. “Now you only have me to listen to, Master Nobunao.” 

Nobunao stood up, fury and relief rolling inside him as one unit. Fury at the audacity of this demon and relief that someone finally did exactly what he’d wanted to do this whole time. “You will speak now, and no more games. What is it you want with my son?” 

“It’s simply, I want him to marry my master and save him if he can.” Satori said, the first hint at his Master’s situation coming out now. “I heard that if a god marries a god of fortune their life forces become linked. Is that true?” 

“You came here on a rumor?” Nobunao asked, but didn’t expect a reply. He didn’t get one either, only a shrug that lifted Satori’s wings almost gracefully. “Well, yes. It is true, it’s not exactly uncommon knowledge that we gods of fortune are sought after for that very reason. Our powers fuse with our mates and essentially become one in the same.” 

Satori nodded, “that’s what I heard as well, so that is why I’m here. This isn’t to make my master stronger or for a selfish reason- unless you call me selfish, then yes, I am. I’m selfish enough to break through all the realms to find the one that can save him even when he doesn’t want it.” Satori stopped suddenly, he blinked and visibly breathed to relax himself again. 

It was the first real emotion the demon had shown up until this point. “Your Master…” Nobunao waited until Satori looked up, “What is his name?” 

Satori sat up and looked nervous as if speaking the name would get him in trouble, but after a moment he shook his head and stood up to walk a few paces away. “He is Kenji, a god of reincarnation.” He replied in a low voice, almost too low to catch.

Nobunao’s answer was immediate. “I’ve never heard the name before. Is he a young god?” 

Satori shook his head, “No.” he sighed, “Not even I know his true age, and I’ve been serving under his realm since the war.” 

That got his attention, Nobunao remembered the war Satori spoke of, it had been a civil war between the old gods. No one really knew what started the war, but it was the gods of reincarnation that stopped it because it started affecting the mortal realms. Causing extinction level events to happen to the point that there was nearly no new life being born again. “I see, was he-“

Satori made a sudden buzzing sound and spun around. “The Q and A is closed until set requirements are fulfilled, Master Nobunao. I'm happy to see you’re interested though.” 

Making a sour face at the demon, Nobunao sat down again in his chair with a sigh. “Very well, I can at least hear you out fully since my schedule has recently been cleared of all appointments.” Taking out a small knife from his desk, he sliced it across his palm and handed the blade to Satori to do the same. Once the wounds were clasped together, the air around their hands vibrated as Nobunao spoke, “I give my Divine Word not to utter anything spoken in this room by The Demon, Satori, to another soul.” With that they both pulled away and watched their respective cuts heal before their eyes. “You may speak freely now, Satori.” 

Satori watched his palm until not even a scar remained and sat down slowly. “I suppose I should start with how I came to the decision to disobey my master.”

“Is this going to be a long story?” Nobunao asked, “if so, I would like to let my staff know that everything is fine and to bring us some tea.” 

“Oh, tea sounds lovely! And with those little cookies, too. The ones in the kitchen.” 

Nobunao couldn’t tell if that was a request or simply a statement. “How do you know- Nevermind.” He sighed, “please just get on with it already, I’m developing a headache the more I talk to you.”


End file.
